Beyond The Control

Chapter 73

The more he thought about it, the more his heart ached. Lee Su-hyeon never dismissed or grew impatient with his stuttering, and treated him normally from the start as if it were nothing. Whenever he entered the guiding room, Su-hyeon always greeted him warmly and asked about his well-being with kindness.

That’s why it didn’t take long for Jeon Hyeon-wook to dare to be certain. That his feelings and Su-hyeon’s were mutual.

But the result was a complete failure.

‘No matter how I think about it, it seems like Su-hyeon had feelings for me too… Was it really just my imagination?’

Beep beep- Beep beep-

As he continued his gloomy thoughts with his head down, a call sound rang from his waist.

“…!”

Jeon Hyeon-wook’s eyes widened instantly as he checked his device. There was a message from the team leader, whom he both feared and respected.

[Come to the 7th floor small conference room as soon as you confirm this]

Since the team leader’s words were law for Team 6 members, Jeon Hyeon-wook immediately headed for the elevator.

Even on the 7th floor, he encountered a few Espers, but none of them showed any interest. Still, he felt unnecessarily intimidated and arrived at the small conference room with his head bowed.

Even though he hadn’t done anything, his hands were sweating. After roughly wiping them on his pants, Jeon Hyeon-wook knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Learning can sometimes be a frightening thing. Knowing who the voice belonged to, tension rose like a conditioned reflex even at a single word. When Jeon Hyeon-wook opened the door more carefully than when he knocked, Kim Kwang-in greeted him, standing with his arms crossed.

“You’re here?”

Unusually, Kim Kwang-in had a smiling face. On the other hand, Jeon Hyeon-wook’s gaze couldn’t leave the ground. A grown man, and an Esper at that, acting like an idiot was just perfect for creating anger where there was none before. On a day when he was in a bad mood, he might have hit him on the head under the pretext of telling him to snap out of it.

But today, his feelings towards that behavior were completely different. In the current situation, Jeon Hyeon-wook was the optimal long-term piece that could be manipulated according to his will with gentle coaxing.

Kim Kwang-in approached with a smile still on his face and lightly placed his hand on Jeon Hyeon-wook’s shoulder. At the same time, he felt Jeon Hyeon-wook’s body stiffen like a log. Knowing it was the result of learned fear made him feel even better inside.

With a vile smile on his lips, Kim Kwang-in continued speaking.

“Why do you look so unwell? Haven’t you received guiding yet?”

“Y-yes, Team Leader.”

As if understanding his feelings, Kim Kwang-in lightly patted Jeon Hyeon-wook’s shoulder.

“I made the wrong choice. When Young-hoon left, I should have sent you to Team 3…”

“M-me?”

At the naive question, Kim Kwang-in frowned as if he had never smiled. His eyes revealed undisguised contempt, as if looking at something pathetic.

Kim Young-hoon was the guide with the second-highest matching rate with Jeon Hyeon-wook, and since receiving guiding from Choi Young-sun was as difficult as catching a star in the sky, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he was the best option. But when he transferred to another guild last year, Jeon Hyeon-wook often received guiding from the team guide with a matching rate in the 50% range.

The comment about sending him to Team 3 was made with Lee Su-hyeon in mind. He had heard that the matching rate between him and Jeon Hyeon-wook was over 60%, so from Jeon Hyeon-wook’s perspective, going to that team would have been unconditionally beneficial.

Of course, guiding requests could be made even if they were in different teams, but the sense of bond and psychological belonging that came from being on the “same team” couldn’t be ignored. Also, when Espers simultaneously applied for guiding, it was natural to prioritize Espers from the same team.

Anyway, for someone who couldn’t understand even when the groundwork was laid, Kim Kwang-in explained the situation in simpler terms.

“I’m talking about Lee Su-hyeon, the guide in Team 3. I heard that your matching rate with him is quite good, you must be very disappointed.”

“I-it’s okay.”

“Are you really okay? I’ve heard something, you see.”

“…Pardon?”

Only then did Jeon Hyeon-wook’s gaze turn to Kim Kwang-in. Although he couldn’t make perfect eye contact, it was a sufficiently meaningful response for Jeon Hyeon-wook. Convinced that he had taken the bait, Kim Kwang-in continued in a highly secretive voice.

“What I’m about to say must not be revealed to anyone.”

With his face close enough to almost whisper, Jeon Hyeon-wook’s Adam’s apple bobbed greatly.

“You know about the huge rank difference between Song Ji-hyeok and Lee Su-hyeon, right?”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

“Normally, when there’s a rank difference, guides feel burdened in one way or another. Otherwise, why would ranks exist? The association people aren’t fools, you know.”

Up to this point, even Jeon Hyeon-wook understood easily and nodded.

“Even a one-rank difference allows for quick recovery, and many guides don’t mind it at all. In simple terms, Lee Su-hyeon guiding you would be a win-win situation without burden for both of you.”

After saying this, Kim Kwang-in paused for a moment to catch his breath. This was the real point of calling Jeon Hyeon-wook.

“But as you know, Song Ji-hyeok is S-rank. Pairing a C-rank guide with an S-rank Esper? It’s nonsense. I’ve never even heard of an A-rank forming a pair contract with a C-rank, let alone an S-rank.”

“…”

“What do you think that means? Not only Song Ji-hyeok but also the guild’s top brass don’t care what happens to Lee Su-hyeon. Whether he lives or dies… it’s none of their concern.”

At the mention of death, Jeon Hyeon-wook’s face turned pale. His eyes, visible through his shaggy hair, trembled noticeably.

“T-then, w-won’t Song Ji-hyeok E-Esper also be in b-big trouble?”

His stuttering worsened due to extreme emotional disturbance. But instead of getting annoyed, Kim Kwang-in answered seriously.

“There’s a replaceable person. …This is also something that absolutely must not leak out, but to put it bluntly, Guide Lee Su-hyeon is a sacrificial lamb. They’ll use Su-hyeon to tame Song Ji-hyeok as much as possible during the initial unstable and easily rampaging energy phase, and once he’s somewhat stabilized, they’ll pair him with Choi Young-sun.”

“T-that’s impossible. O-our guild w-wouldn’t do that…”

“You frustrating person. How can you say that after seeing what’s going on?”

Kim Kwang-in raised his eyebrows as if looking at something regrettable in response to the muttered denial.

“Where is Lee Su-hyeon now? He’s in a dungeon with Song Ji-hyeok. A C-rank guide is in an A-rank dungeon, and it’s not even an emergency situation.”

“…”

“He’s probably having his energy exploited there constantly. Lee Su-hyeon will break down quickly at this rate, and the guild knows this but turns a blind eye. All because of Song Ji-hyeok.”

Jeon Hyeon-wook’s lips quivered repeatedly, but this time he couldn’t say anything. Even to his foolish ears, there was nothing wrong with what Kim Kwang-in had just said.

Yes, come to think of it, it didn’t make sense from the start for a C-rank guide to be responsible for an S-rank Esper. As he said, with a three-rank difference, there was no way his body could be fine.

‘The only one benefiting from the high matching rate is Song Ji-hyeok. The powerless Su-hyeon will continue to be exploited… and when he can no longer fulfill his role, he’ll be discarded mercilessly.’

The moment that thought reached him, Jeon Hyeon-wook felt a rage he had never experienced before boiling up. He felt an indescribable sense of betrayal even towards the guild master he had respected so much. They said they valued humanity and human dignity the most, but in front of the guild’s interests and honor, they were no different from others.

Lee Su-hyeon’s face kept appearing in his mind. While the Sunrise Guild was undoubtedly a top-tier guild, it had a slightly different meaning for Jeon Hyeon-wook. Although he felt the same immense pride, he couldn’t help but feel intimidated due to his language disability.

In this barren, cold guild where he sometimes felt alienated, Lee Su-hyeon was like a ray of light. His neat face always wore a faint smile, and his voice was as soft as cotton candy. Above all, he was the only person who never mentioned his disability, never looked down on him or pitied him, and treated him just like any other person. Hearing that such a Lee Su-hyeon would be used like a consumable for an S-rank Esper and soon break down was unbearable.

But… Jeon Hyeon-wook was powerless. In his current position, there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t transform into an S-rank Esper and take Lee Su-hyeon away, nor could he nullify the pair contract between the two. With his stuttering, he couldn’t logically persuade Lee Su-hyeon, and he couldn’t challenge Song Ji-hyeok to a duel. Well, he could challenge him, but the result was too obvious. He would die a miserable death without even getting to fight properly.

“…”

Kim Kwang-in watched as he trembled with anger. Once again, a vile smile spread across his lips.